Sheriff’s Office accredited for operating under best practices and standards

December 18, 2020 4:30 pm
COURTESY PHOTO The Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office was recently accredited by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs for operating under best practices and standards for law enforcement.
COURTESY PHOTO The Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office was recently accredited by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs for operating under best practices and standards for law enforcement.

The Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office has successfully completed an accreditation program designed to certify that it operates under best practices and standards for law enforcement.

The program is administered by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) and involves an extensive, multi-phase process over several months. The certification is awarded for a four-year period after initial accreditation has been achieved. The Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office has been accredited since 1994. Administrative Chief Ranee Farmer is the accreditation manager for the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office.

“We are proud to be accredited by WASPC,” said Undersheriff Brad Johansson. “It means our department has achieved the highest professional standards for policing.”

Benefits of accreditation include administrative and operational effectiveness, fair recruitment and employment practices, better records management, improved use of technology, health and safety, training, codes of conduct and prisoner security, among other important law enforcement tasks.

“The Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office has worked hard to obtain this achievement,” said Steven Strachan, WASPC executive director. “The community should be proud of local law enforcement for taking direct and tangible steps to earn the public’s confidence in their operations.”

The Washington Legislature originally called for the development of standards and goals for law enforcement in 1976. The current WASPC program is updated regularly and designed to guide law enforcement with best practices, accountability measures and heightens organizational discipline. Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office is one of 59 law enforcement organizations, that make up approximately 20% of all Washington law enforcement, that is currently WASPC accredited.

WASPC was founded in 1963 and represents executive and top management personnel from law enforcement agencies statewide. With more than 900 members it includes the 39 elected county sheriffs, and 240 police chiefs, as well as the Washington State Patrol, the Washington Department of Corrections, and representatives of several federal agencies. Grays Harbor Sheriff Rick Scott is president-elect for the organization’s board and will serve as president for 2021 and 2022.